New Pinterest Messaging Feature Arrives

Today, Pinterest users send approximately 2 million pins (opens in new window) a day on the service. But until recently, there was no native way of responding to the pins, short of sending messages through different channels like email or other social media networks. Pinterest unveiled a new way users can communicate and share with one another. With the launch of the messaging feature, users will be able to keep dialogue going on Pinterest around their favorite Pins without having to leave the site or apps.

How It Works

The first step is to select from a list of of contacts to send your Pin to. Once that Pin is sent, the conversation appears in the lower left-hand corner of the website or tablet app. (Mobile users will have separate dialogue screens for messages.) You'll be able to see the avatars of the users you've engaged with messages and the conversation history can be selected by clicking on them. Conversely, you can easily remove the notifications by hitting the "x" in the top corner of the message.

Sharing Pins (Not Needles)

Pinterest launched the Send a Pin (opens in new window) feature last year, but the functionality was limited. Users received notifications that their friend had sent them a pin and, ultimately, the interaction ended there. Now however, Pinterest has taken the experience of sharing pins to the next level. In addition to one-on-one conversations, Pinners now have the ability to send pins and messages back and forth with friends. (Up to 10 people can share Pins with one another.) For example, if you’re organizing a trip with friends, you can send pins and messages to the whole group with suggestions of places to stay, restaurants to check out, what romantic comedies to see, etc.

Takeaways

Direct messages are a great way to share content with your friends and for Pinterest, where user engagement is an invaluable currency, it means keeping the conversation on its platform. It's no secret that the popularity of Pinterest is growing rapidly. It hasn't quite gained entry into into the "Big Three" of the social media networks, but it's certainly knocking on the door. By adding direct message capabilities, Pinterest may soon be the social network that all eyes are on.

What do you think about Pinterest Messages? Contact us and let us know!